Are you ready to make a fresh start? Though every body has different needs, there are some basic healthy choices you can make that will contribute to your overall wellness. These simple changes can make a big difference over time. And one of the best ways to start is by taking our Health Starts Here® 28-Day Challenge!
At Whole Foods Market®, we believe that focusing on our four pillars of healthy eating offers the greatest health benefits, no matter what dietary path you follow.
The Whole Deal value guide is your one-stop shop for recipes, coupons and tips for saving time and money. It’s here to help you now but with an eye on the future too.
Recently Kendall, a team member at our Ideal Market store in Boulder, Colorado, shared this story of a resourceful mother passing on the value of savings to her daughters:
“When she plans a trip to the grocery store, the mother tells her girls to look through The Whole Deal and find coupons for items they want her to purchase. The girls are put in charge of cutting out the coupons, remembering to get the items at the store and giving the coupons to the cashier. The amount the family saves by using the coupons is then divided between the two girls as their weekly allowance.
As they are learning to plan ahead and organize their needs, the girls are also learning to find healthier options for their snacks as they comb through the coupons. The excitement and joy they carried to the grocery store with them and their delight when they saw the dollars in their hands was contagious, and I have enjoyed sharing this suggestion with other parents.”
My salad menu is a constantly evolving, seasonal beast. Like the rest of my diet I like to incorporate what is available in abundance seasonally. This presents a bit of a variety challenge in the winter — even here in Northern California where there is a fair amount of wintertime production, the quality and availability of salad ingredients can be inconsistent.
Winter is a tough time to grow and harvest anything, but it’s particularly hard on salad leaf. Most of the production is located in the southernmost parts of the country (Florida and California) and the whole country is dependent on what is produced in these areas. Higher transportation costs have also changed the economics of the salad leaf business — moving more and more West Coast leaf production to Florida to avoid additional miles to market.
Watch how Whole Planet Foundation’s partner Grameen America puts microcredit into action right here in the United States. Grameen America, a nonprofit microfinance organization, follows the successful model of Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus’ Grameen Bank. To date, Grameen America has reached over 8,500 low-income borrowers across New York City; Omaha, Nebraska; and Indianapolis, Indiana. We can’t wait to watch them grow!
Learning about traditions and ancient ways has always fascinated me, but nothing stirs up my curiosity more than what’s on the menu! Seems I am not alone in my fascination with the various uses of foods and spices around the world. Many a traveler on a culinary expedition has noted the difference between eating ethnic food in America vs. eating it in its “native country.” Curry spices are a good example.
In the US curry powder is fairly standardized, tasting similar from brand to brand. Most rely on turmeric — the dark yellow/orange spice that gives curry its famous color — along with black pepper, cayenne, cumin and coriander. Remember, though, there are as many curry powder variations as there are people creating them, and cooks around the world have always relied on an assortment of spices with varying flavors. A few other spices you may find ground into specialized curry blends include fenugreek, cloves, allspice, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves and caraway, fennel or mustard seeds. Whatever your curry spice preference, you are going to love our delicious ideas and recipes.
Thanks to everyone who entered our Kids for Our Planet essay contest. It was wonderful to read about all of the amazing things these eco-kid heroes are doing. Schoolteacher Eden Rule from Sugar Land, Texas won the screening of Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax for seven girls from her class. They’ll be viewing the film the night before the movie opens to the public. Cool!
In hopes of spreading the eco-message of the film, we partnered with Universal Pictures on our Kids for Our Planet contest as well as on pre-screening events and ticket giveaways in some of our stores. (Check here to see if your store’s included.) Of course, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax will be available for all of us when it opens on March 2nd.
Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax is a 3D-CG animated adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ classic tale of a forest creature, the Lorax, who shares the enduring power of hope. The adventure follows the journey of a 12-year-old boy searching for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. In his search, he discovers the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.
I’m a stuff magnet. If my outer world reflects my inner world, I’ve got a dozen lifetimes ahead of me before I reach Nirvana. But when I’m ready to part with it, I know exactly where to take my stuff so that it can continue in its next incarnation. A lot of times, I take it to the office!
At Whole Foods Market, we’re diligent about our recycling and resource recovery efforts. And here at the global office, a huge thanks goes to our Green Mission Team for continually creating new partnerships that allow us to recycle even more stuff.
I have a box by the back door of my house where I’ll toss dried-up pens, scratched CDs, wine corks, bottle caps, spent gift cards and inkjet cartridges. Once a week I bring the box into work. By my desk, I have a box to stash assorted recyclables generated through the day like spent Sharpies, drink bottles, take-out containers and apple cores. When my work is done, I take this box to the break and copy rooms and spend a minute or two sorting my catches of the day into bins and containers.
When I was growing up, my mom had a spray bottle with the hand-written words “Vinegar & Water” on it. Whether it was a sticky spill, pet “problem” or cleaning up after my siblings and me, my mom was quick on the draw with this tried-and-true solution. Now that I have my own home, child and bank account, I too experiment with eco-friendly homemade cleaning solutions using ingredients within an arm’s reach like lemons, salt, baking soda and, yes, vinegar.
Are you hoping to make a clean sweep and replace conventional cleaning products or simply looking for more ways to streamline spending? Make your own earth- and wallet-friendly household cleaning products; it’s easy and you likely have everything you need around the house right now.
Here’s the dirt on a few common kitchen items that pull double duty.
What fats are essential for heart health and how can we ensure high-quality, adequate intake? Listen in to this encore podcast to hear about the critical role good fats play in a heart-healthy diet. Dr. Hector Lopez is a board-certified specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation, holds a Masters degree in Nutrition and is a member of the Nordic Naturals Advisory Board.
Experts believe hydrogenated fats increase the risk of heart disease, however there are healthy fats that support the heart:
Heart health is dependent on the balanced intake of essential fatty acids or EFAs as they are commonly referred to. These are considered “essential” as they MUST be consumed in the diet because the body cannot produce them on its own.
These fats are involved in a variety of molecular mechanisms that have a direct or indirect effect on heart health including: turning certain genes on/off that regulate fat and carbohydrate metabolism; supporting the body’s anti-inflammatory response, and even changing the actual characteristics of LDL cholesterol.
Whether it’s crumbly, creamy, grassy or nutty, we love all cheeses but there’s only one that we salute as the King. With a documented reign dating back almost 1000 years, only Parmigiano Reggiano made in one area of Northern Italy, the rolling hills and green pastures comprising Reggio Emilia, Parma, Modena and portions of Bologna and Mantua can bear the royal name of Parmigiano Reggiano. There the cheese is made in small batches using artisanal methods in accordance with the stringent quality standards of the Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano.
What makes the Parmigiano Reggiano at our stores different from that at most grocers? Each year we visit the Caseificios and select cheese wheels based on the taste profile we believe is best, buying from just a handful of producers we know personally. Then our chosen wheels are carefully aged for a full two years to bring out the best taste and texture.
And talk about taste! No really, let’s talk about it. On February 27, at 7 pm EST, our Global Cheese Buyer Cathy Strange and healthy eating specialist Chef Derek Sarno are teaming up to cook and chat about this delectable cheese. Watch it live online on February 27 at 7 pm EST. In fact, you can join in the fun with your own not-so-virtual cheese tasting. Just grab some balsamic vinegar, honey, walnuts, a pear or an apple and a hunk of Whole Foods Market’s Parmigiano Reggiano, tune in to our live stream and follow along. You can even submit questions along the way!
Welcome to Whole Story, the official blog of Whole Foods Market.
Don’t know us? In a nutshell, we are the world's leading natural and organic grocer and we’re passionate about healthy food and a healthy planet. Learn more about us.
We’re lucky to have a whole bunch of smart, passionate people doing incredible things in areas like organics, supporting local growers, green practices, fair trade, micro-lending and all kinds of food related stuff. We’ll use this blog to share some of the cool things going on around here.
Of course, what makes this blog really exciting is YOU — so join the conversation!
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Are you ready to make a fresh start? Though every body has different needs, there are some basic healthy choices you can make that will contribute to your overall wellness. These simple changes can make a big difference over time. And one of the best ways to start is by taking our Health Starts Here® 28-Day Challenge!
My salad menu is a constantly evolving, seasonal beast. Like the rest of my diet I like to incorporate what is available in abundance seasonally. This presents a bit of a variety challenge in the winter — even here in Northern California where there is a fair amount of wintertime production, the quality and availability of salad ingredients can be inconsistent.
Thanks to everyone who entered our Kids for Our Planet essay contest. It was wonderful to read about all of the amazing things these eco-kid heroes are doing. Schoolteacher Eden Rule from Sugar Land, Texas won the screening of Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax for seven girls from her class. They’ll be viewing the film the night before the movie opens to the public. Cool!
I’m a stuff magnet. If my outer world reflects my inner world, I’ve got a dozen lifetimes ahead of me before I reach Nirvana. But when I’m ready to part with it, I know exactly where to take my stuff so that it can continue in its next incarnation. A lot of times, I take it to the office!
When I was growing up, my mom had a spray bottle with the hand-written words “Vinegar & Water” on it. Whether it was a sticky spill, pet “problem” or cleaning up after my siblings and me, my mom was quick on the draw with this tried-and-true solution. Now that I have my own home, child and bank account, I too experiment with eco-friendly homemade cleaning solutions using ingredients within an arm’s reach like lemons, salt, baking soda and, yes, vinegar.
What fats are essential for heart health and how can we ensure high-quality, adequate intake? Listen in to this encore podcast to hear about the critical role good fats play in a heart-healthy diet. Dr. Hector Lopez is a board-certified specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation, holds a Masters degree in Nutrition and is a member of the Nordic Naturals Advisory Board.
Whether it’s crumbly, creamy, grassy or nutty, we love all cheeses but there’s only one that we salute as the King. With a documented reign dating back almost 1000 years, only Parmigiano Reggiano made in one area of Northern Italy, the rolling hills and green pastures comprising Reggio Emilia, Parma, Modena and portions of Bologna and Mantua can bear the royal name of Parmigiano Reggiano. There the cheese is made in small batches using artisanal methods in accordance with the stringent quality standards of the Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano.
And talk about taste! No really, let’s talk about it. On February 27, at 7 pm EST, our Global Cheese Buyer Cathy Strange and healthy eating specialist Chef Derek Sarno are teaming up to cook and chat about this delectable cheese. 
